We would cost closer to multiple first going with than 4th. None of the teams with cap space, have any reason to do NYI a favour. You want him gone, 6mil expiring got 2025 1st with protections. 10 mil, not expiring would cost more. Regardless if Palmeri or Monahan are good or not.

That’s not until 24/25 season. Next year it will be 83.5 (unless a miracle happens)

"We believe that there is a good probability that the escrow will be paid off this season," Commissioner Bettman said. "It may not be, but it's going to be close we think, which means the flat cap will be replaced by a bigger increase. Revenue is pretty vibrant. We probably did $5.4 billion in [hockey-related revenues] this past season, which is actually about a half a billion more than we projected a year ago when we were starting things up. Things are good."

I think 24-25 is a slam dunk to have it happen, but Bettman said this just a month ago:



So yeah, not a 100% certainty, but feels like there's a good shot it can happen this summer. Would certainly be nice to have a summer of actual activity instead of teams waiting for the contracts they signed pre-COVID to age out!

NHL teams have been given guidance that it will be 83.5 next season and could get up to 86.5 (but that’s less than a one percent chance that happens). Wouldn’t say good chance